Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the
AJGA Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Junior Classic, features
a field of 169 juniors ages 13-18 representing 26 states
and two countries. Held by the Magnolia Grove Golf Club
on both the Falls and Crossing courses, this week's
field includes 13 players from the state of Alabama
and 10 Polo Golf Junior All-Americans.

The current leader for the Boys Division, Moore of Portland,
Ore., did not allow the 30-minute fog delay nor the
one hour and 15-minute rain delay affect his mental
or physical game. The 16-year-old sank a birdie right
out of the gate from the second delay on No. 5, which
carried him through the remaining 13 holes.

"The birdies gave me a lot of greens to play with
and allowed me to take some chances with my putting,"
Moore said.

In addition to his strong performance, Moore carded
additional birdies on Nos. 3, 7 and 9, earning him a
4-under-par total for the front nine, giving him a 68
and two-shot lead over his closest competitors for the
day.

Moore, who captured the crown at the AJGA Quail Ranch
Junior Classic in June and was a member of the victorious
2001 West Canon Cup Team, is striving to add a second
2001 AJGA title to his resume this weekend. In order
to claim the title, the strategy for the current sophomore
is to continue to hit well, which will allow him to
solely focus on the greens.

Trailing behind Moore only two strokes off the lead
at 2-under-par 70 are Daniel McGurk of The Woodlands,
Texas, Jeff Bell of Plano, Texas, and Casey Wittenberg
of Memphis, Tenn., while Chris Rogers of Franklin, Tenn.,
and James Vargas of Miami, Fla., fired 1-under-par 71.
In the Girls Division, Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif.,
also a member of the 2001 West Canon Cup Team, began
her quest for her fourth AJGA title of the summer with
an opening round 69, good for a two-shot lead.

Creamer got off to a strong start with a birdie on No.
1, after sticking her second-shot with a 5-iron from
160 yards out to within a foot of the hole. The 15-year-old
followed that up with birdies on Nos. 5 and 9 to head
to the backside at 3-under-par.

"I thought I played pretty well," Creamer
said. "I just tried to stay focused on the ball
and on my grips with the conditions being wet."

Creamer made it to the No. 12 tee box before the rain
delay set in, taking away some of the momentum she had
acquired on the front nine.

"It's tough to go back out and get back into the
game both mentally and physically," Creamer said.
"I just took a lot of practice swings and focused
on golf."

Creamer, who has won this summer at the AJGA St. Regis
Aspen Junior Classic, AJGA Compaq Junior Championship
at Trophy Lake and most recently at the AJGA Buick Junior
Open, knows she still has a lot of work in front of
her to claim title number four.

"I just need to play solid golf," Creamer
said. "There are a lot of good players out here
and there is still a lot of golf left."

Joining Creamer atop the leaderboard of the Girls Division
are Jackie Beers of Midlothian, Va., and Nicole Hage
of Coral Springs, Fla., at 1-under-par 71, and Erin
Faulkner of Bowling Green, Ky., Irene Cho of La Habra,
Calif., and Taylor Leon of Dallas, all finishing at
even-par 72.

Second-round action begins Sunday with tee times running
from 7- 11:48 a.m. off No.1 tee on the Falls Course
for the Boys Division and the Girls Division second-round
action is from 7- 8:39 a.m. off No.1 and No.10 tees
on the Crossings Course.

The American Junior Golf Foundation is the primary recipient of all charitable giving to the AJGA and as such administers a variety of programs designed to compliment the AJGA and the members and families who make up our community. Learn more about these important programs and how your contributions to the Foundation secure the AJGA’s financial future for future generations to come.

The Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program provides financial assistance to junior golfers who wish to play in AJGA events. Its goal is to give top-flight golf opportunities to young golfers regardless of financial resources. This program helps to fulfill the AJGA’s mission of developing young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

Leadership Links

What is Leadership Links?

Leadership Links is a new program whereby the AJGA is able to further its mission to help develop young men and women by teaching charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age. This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time, talent and resources to local charities and the AJGA youth development programs. Please click here to learn more about the program and the different opportunities available.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and
development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.